We will celebrate our 75th anniversary in ASOBAL

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto earn promotion to the Nexus Energía ASOBAL League after a thrilling 18-17 Valencian derby victory over Fundación Agustinos Alicante in the División de Honor Plata promotion final at the Port de Sagunt Arena.

The match began with very little scoring, producing only two goals (1-1) in the opening five minutes. The red-and-whites found attacking gaps in their opponents’ individual defensive positions, which Carlos Martín and Jakob Pelko exploited.

The hosts led for the first time after seven minutes at 3-2 and moved two ahead (4-2) two minutes later through their connection with pivot Álex Pozzer. Dani Martínez also improved his save percentage compared with the first semi-final.

Francisco Ruiz recovered from missing his first seven-metre throw to convert the next two. The second established a new three-goal high at 7-4 midway through the first half. Alejandro Carrillo called his first timeout in the 17th minute at 8-4.

The timeout had no effect and the visitors’ deficit grew to five (9-4) a minute later. Daniel Reinante ended Alicante’s long scoring drought from the left wing.

When their opponents reduced the gap slightly to 10-6, Sergio Mallo stopped the game in the 25th minute. A two-minute suspension for Julen Urruzola brought Fundación Agustinos Alicante firmly back into the contest and they reached half-time only two behind at 11-9.

The first goal after the break did not arrive until the 34th minute, when Borja Maho finished before Matheus de Novais quickly replied. The exchange favoured the visitors, who moved within one at 13-12 in the 40th minute.

Dani Martínez denied Borja Maho one-on-one on the counter-attack and then stopped Juande Linares’s goal-to-goal attempt to prevent an equaliser. Javier Olivares scored a crucial breakthrough goal in the 45th minute to restore the hosts’ two-goal lead at 15-13.

Another Julen Urruzola suspension gave Alejandro Carrillo’s side the chance to draw level, but Martínez again denied Guillermo Soler. The red-and-whites could have moved three clear but hit the woodwork twice in succession.

With five minutes left, the contest was finely balanced at 17-16 and the hosts were a player down following Matheus de Novais’s suspension. Even David Quiles, in excellent second-half form, came up against the wall that was Dani Martínez.

A Javier Olivares breakthrough goal with just over a minute remaining appeared decisive, but Daniel Reinante immediately replied from seven metres. Sergio Mallo called timeout with 42 seconds left, although the match still had one final twist.

Final MVP Dani Martínez appeared once more, saving David Jiménez’s shot on the last play to seal an 18-17 win and confirm the Port club’s place in Spanish handball’s top tier during its 75th anniversary year.

MATCH DETAILS:

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto (18): Juani Villarreal (-), Olivares (3), Paco Ruiz (5), Jakob Pelko (2), Dani Martínez (), Pozzer (1), Arnau Fernández (1), Julen Urruzola (-), Gonzalo (-), David García (-), Matheus de Novais (3), Serradilla (-), Capitán (-), Zungri (1), Carlos Martín (2), Teixidor (-).

Fundación Agustinos Alicante (17): David Jiménez (3), Daniel Reinante (3), David Quiles (4), Juande Linares (-), Lorenzo Poyato (-), Hugo Ponce de León (1), Pablo Mercader (-), Alberto González (1), Borja Maho (2), Javier Bodí (1), Dídac Talens (2), Guillermo Soler (-), Alejandro Picó (-), Tomás Lautaro Mendieta (-), Ezequiel Conde (-), Juan Rodríguez (-).

Officials: Pablo San Emeterio de la Fuente and Javier Ariño Saiz (Cantabria). Two-minute suspensions: Julen Urruzola (2), Matheus de Novais (2), Oriol Teixidor and Hugo Ponce de León. Yellow card: Manu Etayo.

Scores: 1-1, 4-3, 6-4, 9-4, 10-6, 11-9 (half-time); 12-10, 13-12, 14-13, 16-14, 17-15 and 18-17 (full-time).

Event: División de Honor Plata promotion final for a place in the Nexus Energía ASOBAL League, played at the Port de Sagunt Arena in front of approximately 2,000 spectators.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.